# Trial of Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Mexican Patients with Advanced Cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · 2024 · $837,355

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Further, more than one-quarter of cancer patients in Mexico suffer from a depression disorder and about half
have significant mood disorder symptoms. Also, research shows is a prevalence of 67-82% clinical depressive
symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. Patients with advanced cancer have specific needs; among the
most pressing are to receive help in dealing with their mortality fears, uncertainty about the future, and spiritual
concerns. However, there are no targeted psychosocial or psychotherapeutic interventions available for
Latinos diagnosed with advanced cancer. Meaning-Centered psychotherapy (MCP) is a novel
psychotherapeutic intervention designed to help patients with advanced cancer sustain or enhance a sense of
meaning, peace and purpose as they approach the end-of-life. Meaning Centered Psychotherapy has been
culturally adapted and found feasible in a pilot study with heterogenous Spanish-speaking Latinos with
advanced cancer, but not yet tested with Mexican cancer patients. This study is a collaboration of investigators
from two major cancer centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, where MCP f or Latinos,
MCP-L, was adapted) and the National Mexican Cancer Institute (INCan, Spanish Acronym), the major public
cancer center in Mexico and Central American region serving approximately 1000 new annual patients.
Implementation of this project in INCan is feasible given the resources (psycho-oncology service with 3 full
time psychologists) and institutional support for psycho-oncology research. Informed by implementation
science framework, the objective of this study is to conduct a type 1 hybrid (testing effects of an intervention
while gathering information on implementation) randomized clinical trial. The first aim examines the impact of
Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Mexicans on improving depression and anxiety (primary outcomes) and
the secondary outcomes: distress, hopelessness, symptom burden and quality of life, compared to the control
condition (cognitive behavioral therapy) at one and three months after treatment. We will also examine the
mediation effect of spiritual and existential (meaning) well-being and moderation effect of socioeconomic
hardship and literacy. Guided by a dissemination and implementation model and using a mixed-methods
approach, the second aim examines the factors influencing the intervention implementation at the external,
organizational, and patient levels, and potential implementation strategies. The third aim is to increase and
support clinical and research capacity by providing specialized training to the INCan team and cancer MH
providers from Latin American. This study is significant in that it targets the emotional impact of a diagnosis of
advanced cancer in Mexican patients, a prevalent yet understudied need in this population. This study is
innovative because it will be the first evidence-based psychotherapy intervention adapted for a low- and
middle-income...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10987904
- **Project number:** 1R01MH137857-01
- **Recipient organization:** SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Rosario Costas-Muniz
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $837,355
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10987904

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10987904, Trial of Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Mexican Patients with Advanced Cancer (1R01MH137857-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10987904. Licensed CC0.

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